The use of a CATV system to provide Internet, Voice-Over-Internet Protocol (“VoIP”) telephone, television, and music services is well known in the art. In providing these services, a downstream bandwidth (i.e., radio frequency (“RF”) signals, digital signals and/or optical signals) is passed from a supplier of the services to a user and an upstream bandwidth (i.e., radio frequency (“RF”) signals, digital signals, and/or optical signals) is passed from the user to the supplier. For much of the distance between the supplier and the user, the downstream and the upstream bandwidth make up a total bandwidth that is passed via a single transmission line, such as a coaxial cable. The downstream bandwidth is, for example, signals that are relatively higher frequencies from within a total bandwidth of the CATV system while the upstream bandwidth is, for example, signals that are relatively lower frequencies.
Even though it may be possible to further expand the width of frequencies used for the total bandwidth to include even higher frequencies, there is a large effort to further compact content in the current total bandwidth. For example, digital television channels use digital compression and more advanced tuners so that three or more of these digital television channels may occupy the same width of frequencies previously occupied by a single analog television channel. Further, the technologies used to modulate and demodulate the data signals carried in the total bandwidth have become more sophisticated to carry more data while using the same width of frequencies. The demands for even more television channels and greater data throughput continue without relief.
This increased demand for television channels and data throughput does not come without difficulties. First, as described in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/252,907, incorporated herein by reference, the width of the upstream bandwidth may be expanded in relation to the downstream bandwidth to allow for a greater flow of data, such as Internet uploads and outgoing VoIP, from the user. Further, as described in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/252,817, incorporated herein by reference, the overall quality of the signals in the upstream bandwidth may be increased regardless of any increase in the width of the upstream bandwidth. Even further, as described in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/252,850, incorporated herein by reference, the quality of the signals in the downstream bandwidth may be increased, especially in light of the relative narrowing in the width of the downstream bandwidth. As described by these applications, additional devices may be added in or proximate to a premise of the user to achieve and ensure the increased width and quality requirements for more television channels and greater data throughput.
It is noted that these new devices are much more sophisticated than the traditional drop amplifiers that were added as a “fix-all” in the past. With the added sophistication comes a greater risk of failure and disruption of signals that may ultimately result in poor or unusable CATV services, user complaints, and increased service calls. Accordingly, by placing increased demands on the CATV system and by placing increasingly sophisticated devices in or proximate to the user's premise, the CATV service provider may ultimately lose users and lower/eliminate profits.